


A Valuable Ally

by MlleMusketeer



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Deleted Scenes, Drabble, Gen, Medics Are Scary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-20
Updated: 2013-07-20
Packaged: 2017-12-20 18:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/890468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MlleMusketeer/pseuds/MlleMusketeer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We never got to see much of Knockout during Operation: Breakdown. Perhaps Starscream's motivations were...more complicated than what he revealed to Breakdown.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Valuable Ally

“Commander Starscream?”

“What do you want?”

“You’re needed in the med bay.”

Starscream snarled. “Can’t it wait?”

“No, Commander.” Knockout’s smug voice was unusually self-satisfied today. Perhaps he had yet to hear about Breakdown. Starscream would have to remedy that. 

He made his way down to the med bay in high bad temper. How dare that ridiculous medic call him away like this? Only Megatron could do _that_...and for how much longer was very much in question, current setbacks notwithstanding. 

There had to be a way to turn this situation to his advantage. Leaving Breakdown in the hands of a bunch of humans—oh no, that _really_ wouldn’t be good for morale if it got out. He’d have to make sure that it did. 

“Commander Starscream. How kind of you to arrive so quickly.”

“What is it, Knockout? I have important things to—”

“Just a quick examination of your new arm. I’m concerned about the connections of the primary sensory output.”

“Are you implying you didn’t repair it correctly the first time?”

“Not at all.”

“Knockout, I really don’t have time for your fussing.”

“Humor me,” said Knockout. Starscream shuttered his optics at the other mech, taken aback by the edge in his voice. Silently (and with bad grace), he held out the arm in question. 

Knockout said little as he scanned the arm, prodded a few places, and moved up to the junction between Starscream’s neck and shoulder.

“In case your memory fails you, _doctor_ ,” Starscream sneered, “I didn’t lose _that_.”

“Oh, you can never be too sure,” said Knockout, cheerful as ever, and leaned up and forward to peer at the circuitry. 

Starscream let out an irritated ventilation. “Are you _quite_ done? I’m a very busy mech—unlike some I could mention.”

“Bring back Breakdown,” said Knockout, very low, directly into his audial. 

“What?”

“Don’t play glitched with me, Starscream.” There was a vicious note in Knockout’s voice, one he’d never heard before. “I know Megatron’s not going after him. Bring him back. Alive. And I can assure you, you’ll have a very valuable ally.”

Starscream snorted. “What, you?”

There was the sound of sliding plating. Something pressed into the juncture between his neck and shoulder. Starscream went very, very still, optics wide.

“Everyone needs diagnostics, Commander Starscream.”

“I’ll do it,” said Starscream quickly.

Knockout made a noncommittal noise. Whatever it was prodded his neck, hard. 

“Did you hear me?” Starscream snarled, though it came out as more of a shriek. “I said I’d do it!”

Knockout backed away. Starscream clapped a hand over his neck, was surprised not to feel the seep of energon.

“Whatever did you run into?” Knockout held something between forefinger and thumb. “It looks like it was organic.” He flicked it at a waste receptacle. “ _Was_ being the operative word.”

Starscream glowered at him, one hand still pressed over his neck. Knockout turned around to check something on the lab bench. 

“Oh,” he said, after a few moments, “And tell Lord Megatron that he’s well overdue for his next diagnostic.”

“Oh,” said Starscream, and grinned. 


End file.
